Start your question with What, Why, How, When, etc. and end with a "?"

Be clear and specific

Use proper spelling and grammar

Having problems with your PC Desktops ?

Format a seagate drive st96812a for use in rocketfish enclosure kit RF-HD25

Answers :

Formatting a Secondary Hard DriveStep1Right-Click on the “My Computer” icon either on your desktop or in the Start Menu and select “Manage.”Step2A new window titled “Computer Management” comes up. Select “Storage” from the left hand side by clicking it once, then select “Disk Management(local)” from the right side by double-clicking it.Step3Now in the lower part of the main frame (right side) of the window you should see a nice visual of all your hard drives. Each line is a different drive. Each box on a line (with a colored bar at the top and a size displayed in MB or GB) is a partition on the drive. Partitions are separations of space on a drive. Unless you are doing something specific that requires multiple partitions, you only want one partition per drive.Step4First you must delete any existing partitions on the drive you are going to format. Do this by right-clicking on the partition's box and selecting “Delete Partition...” Since you already know that you will be deleting everything on the drive, and have already backed everything up, you can safely say yes to any warning the computer presents you with.Step5If there are multiple partitions make sure you have saved everything off them since they might each have different drive letters (i.e. “D:” or “F:”). Then repeat the above step for each of them. If you only want to format one partition that is OK and you can continue to the next step without deleting the other partitions.Step6The box for the drive to be formatted should now have a black bar at the top of it and should say “Unallocated” under its size (see picture). Right click on it and select “New Partition...” The New Partition Wizard comes up.Step7In the New Partition Wizard click next. On the next page make sure “Primary Partition” is selected and click next. Now make the size equal to the maximum (it should already be set to it), and click next again. On the next page the computer will automatically choose the first available drive letter for the new drive. However, if you like you can choose another drive letter from the drop-down menu, and then click next.Step8Finally the New Partition Wizard asks if you would like to format the new partition and if so what format. Choose “NTFS” as it is faster and more secure. Leave the “Allocation unit size” as “Default.” In the “Volume label” field enter whatever name you want the drive to have. Simple is better. Avoid using spaces. Lastly, if the drive is brand new and has never been used before check the “Perform a quick format” box. If the drive has been used before leave this box unchecked. Leave the “Enable file and folder compression” box unchecked and click next. Then on the next page click finish.Step9The wizard will now spend a little while formatting the drive. On old or large drives this may take a while. Do not close the “Computer Management” window until it finishes. You will know it is done when the word under the size of the drive changes from “Formatting” to “Healthy” and the name and drive letter you chose for the new drive show up. After it is finished you can proceed to use your newly formatted drive.

Tips for a great answer:

- Provide details, support with references or personal experience .
- If you need clarification, ask it in the comment box .
- It's 100% free, no registration required.

Suggested Questions/Answers :

Format a seagate drive st96812a for use in rocketfish enclosure kit RF-HD25

Formatting a Secondary Hard DriveStep1Right-Click on the “My Computer” icon either on your desktop or in the Start Menu and select “Manage.”Step2A new window titled “Computer Management” com ...
PC Desktops

I have a 500Gb external hard drive (seagate freeagent desk). I am using a dell inspiron 1501 laptop. I attempted to copy a large amount of files to my hard drive but the process failed. Now, i keep getting a $mft error saying the files did not copy over, please try and copy them elsewhere. The big problem is that i reformated my laptop harddrive and no longer have the files (nothing too important lost). But now with the newly formated laptop (and yes, there is an ATI driver used), i can't se

\015\012One or more of the hints below will probably sort out most USB problems with most USB portable / external hard drives and OTHER devices (though not always)A few things to check but assumes USB and Windows for other interface ...
Dell Inspiron 1501 Notebook

Hard drive ST3160021A, error code HD521-2W

Installing a Seagate Dive into an Armada M700

Here at my shop I have run into this exact same problem on several P3 Compaq's and a few Toshiba's. I found that some of these machines, not all, but some, will not accept the 5400RPM drive, but will take the 4200RPM drive just fine. It's just ...
Compaq Armada M700 Notebook

Replace existing 40GB internal HDD in laptop with 160GB internal

Ok first of all Hi!Now in order to transfer the right stuff from your hard drive to the new one. You will need to follow these instructions and i provided you with 2 methods.\015\012\015\012LONG METHOD (USE NEW HARD DRIVE ...
PC Laptops

More Hard Drive Space needed

Well kristy, in installing the new HDD for your PC, just find a free SATA cable (that usually comes with the HDD when you buy one) the a free power pin, shut the computer down, plug both in, screw the HDD in place, then reboot the computer. Format th ...
PC Desktops

New HDD Install Prob

Basic Troubleshooting Tips after Installing a New Hard DriveBased on Seagate IDE hard drives.If you have installed your drive and it does not function properly, perform the following basic checks:Additional Troubleshooting Tip ...
PC Desktops

How to detect two IDE drives with same brand

Put both drives on the same ribbon cable, both drives set to cable select <CS>. the bios will then detect them as primary and secondary.New drives are RAW and therefore not detected by any Operating system until formated. You can use seatools f ...
Dell OptiPlex GX280 PC Desktop

Trying 2 trsnfr data off win98 drives to xp drives dont show up

Well first of all it would more than likely be a raw data file format for the older 2 drives.\015\012\015\012if u are currently running xp with ntfs and know tht the 2 old drives were a fat32 mft then i would recommend using getdataback f ...
PC Desktops

Hp Pavilion a1220n -- Copy file errors when Installing windows

Maybe I can help;\015\012When I install a new hard drive I like to re-install the operating system (OS) as well. Unfortunatly this wipes out all your files. \015\012 Typically when files do not copy it's either because they're in use or ...
HP Pavilion a1220n (A1220NED904AA) PC Desktop

Windows failed to start !...

Hello\015\012\015\012You seem to know a bit about computer so I will give you a good detailed solution which might be of help. READ CAREFULLY\015\012\015\012ASSUMPTION:\015\012 \015\012I guess that t ...
Acer Aspire 5920-6727 Notebook

I have been using my western digital hard drive with no problems, now it says it hjas to be formatted. I will lose all data if I format it now.

If you still have access to the hard drive... \015\0121. make backups now (if your hdd dies that's it.. and it will happen probably more sooner than later)\015\0122. check the hard drive for errors and try to get windows to fix them for y ...
PC Desktops

External HDD not formattable in Vista

Mark partition or drive as active then you should be able to, delete every partition on disk then using the wizard to create a simple volume and then it will be formatted ...
HP PC Laptops

The acomdata drive is not responding. The light comes when powered on, but my computer cannot find the drive, nor does the drive behave as thought it's processing.

I devised these simple steps that tend to remedy quite a few issues with most portable / external hard drives (though not always)\015\012\015\012A few things to check but assumes USB and Windows for other interfaces / operating systems si ...
PC Desktops

Formatting a Compaq nc8430 laptop

You need a compaq boot disk \015\012ferkin compaqs are a pain in the O\015\012try pulling the drive and inserting it into a portable enclosure than format it you will probably find there is 2 partions on the drive \015\012usualy th ...
HP Compaq nc8430 Notebook

I wish to delete and format a Seagate external harddrive which has windows fileson, to be used for Mac backup.

If you want to use the Drive on a Mac, then you can use the Mac to format the hard drive.\015\012\015\012In that case connect the disk to the Mac and use the Mac disk utility:\015\012\015\012 ...
PC Desktops

Re: your suggestion for my Dell Lattitude D600 Hard Drive Problem

Ok, now we have some good discourse! While I'd always prefer to use a friend's laptop to test my fringe hypotheses, having your own is a fine option too. And it sounds like you have an enclosure too, so you are pretty much all set. It's r ...
PC Laptops

CHANGED HDD FORMAT

The best thing you can do now will be to obtain a windows Startup disk and use fdisk utility to format.. If you are using a seagate HDD then you can also try seagate disk manager. Another option will be to boot from win XP CD and start the setup.. Du ...
Toshiba Satellite P105-S6104 Notebook

Allocating ''unallocated'' space Locke up on hard drive? Only one drive. No partions that I can find. Happened on upgrading Win 7 from Win Vista. On Seagate Freeagent 500 GB USB disk.

\015\012One or more of the hints below will probably sort out most USB problems with most USB portable / external hard drives and OTHER devices (though not always)A few things to check but assumes USB and Windows for other interface ...
HP PC Laptops

DST short status test failure

There is a few things you can do. You can purchase a new Windows CD from your favorite electronics store and install it. If you do that, you will have to visit the dell support site, put in your service code, and download all the drivers to install ...
Dell Inspiron 6000 Notebook

Reinstall software to use my 160GB freeAgent Go USB

Hi, I am assuming that you are referring to a USB based external hard drive called Free Agent, by Seagate I think.Which operating system are you using ?Windows XP has native support for USB, and it should automatically detect ...
PC Desktops

I have a 4720z and want to down my D drive to an externall hard drive ,have a seagate 1 tig,no instructions in seagate how to's,please help before my D drive goe's over the hill,about 2% left

Hi\015\012\015\012The drive actually can't go over its capasity then it will be full everything will still be there but it will just be full, like a bottle.\015\012\015\012So to free up some space you need to use ...
Acer Aspire 4720 Notebook

HOW TO BOOT

If you have access to an external drive enclosure, OR you have a computer you can put the hard-drive fromthat machine in temporarily, put the drive in one of them and copy the WIN98 directory to the harddrive.Once the WIN98 directory is t ...
Compaq Armada E500 Notebook

Start your question with What, Why, How, When, etc. and end with a "?"